Isager Little archives
During a knitting workshop in Tversted where Helga Joná Thórunnardóttir and Helga Isager taught techniques used in the Isager Archives Collection, a kind participant suggested that the collection should be made for children as well. The idea was obvious and completely in the spirit of Åse Lund Jensen, as she was known for her sweaters for children that often also came in adult size, so that mother and child could match.
Luckily, almost all the designers were into the idea, and we are therefore pleased to be able to launch Little Isager Archives from September 2nd. Some of the models will be exact child-versions of the originals, whilst others will just have recognizable elements. The collection will be styled and photographed by our talented team, and the patterns will be available, as usual, via the designer’s individual platforms. Alle 10 designs are of course made with Isager yarn, and the sizes range from 2-12 years.
We look forward to sharing the collection with you all!
LITTLE INGE SWEATER / Design: Lene Holme Samsøe
Lene Holme Samsøe about the design:
Little Inge Sweater is the children edition of Inge Sweater. I really think that the pattern is perfect also for children with its playfulness and the clear reference to the style of the 60s and 70s.
The pattern consists of only 3 colors, which makes it fun and simple to play with the colors. It is easy to personalize Little Inge Sweater simply by choosing different colors. The sweater can be playful but also very classic if you choose neutral colors.
I think Jensen Yarn is a perfect yarn for Little Inge Sweater – just like the original Inge Sweater. But I also like the soft combination of Merilin and Alpaca1 worked together, which I used for the sweater in neutral colors.
When making the pattern in sizes from 2 to 14 years, the big challenge was to get the pattern symmetrical and neat along the raglan increases to make the sweater look superb in both small and larger sizes.
Little Inge Sweater is knitted top down. The pattern is only worked in the round, as the short rows are worked before the pattern begins, and you knit with no more than two colors at a time.
MATERIALS
Version 1:
Main colour: Isager Jensen Yarn colour 6s
Effect colour 1: Isager Jensen Yarn colour 100
Effect colour 2: Isager Jensen Yarn colour 28
Version 2:
Main colour 1: Isager Merilin colour 0
Main colour 2: Isager Alpaca 1 colour E0
Effect colour 1: Isager Merilin colour 9
Effect colour 2: Isager Merilin colour 30
Effect colour 3: Isager Alpaca 1 colour 8s Eco
Effect colour 4: Isager Alpaca 1 colour 30
Purchase yarn kit with Jensen Yarn
LITTLE KIRSTEN SHIRT / Design: Helga Isager
Helga Isager about the design:
My Little Kirsten Shirt is constructed the same way as the adult version, Kirsten Shirt, however, I have chosen to knit it in Isager Soft Fine, making it soft and child friendly. Isager Soft has a meterage of all of 150 m per 25 grams, so the garment is very light and airy. First, the body is worked sideways and shaped with short rows. If one wishes to knit a dress, the garment is easily made longer by casting on more stitches.
Stitches are picked up for the yoke, and at the same time a welt ridge is knitted, which hides the cast on edge, making a nice and clean wrong side. The shirt has a front placket and at the neck another welt ridge is made, which is finished with a curled edge.
Little Kirsten can be knitted in sizes 2 – 12 years.
MATERIALS
Main colour: Isager Soft Fine colour E7s
Effect colour: Isager Soft Fine colour 11
LITTLE_JOHA_SWEATER / Design: Other Loops (Maja Kløvdal)
Maja Kløvdal about the design:
LITTLE_JOHA_SWEATER is my contribution to the joint collection LITTLE ISAGER ARCHIVES – a collection for children based on the ISAGER ARCHIVES collection.
LITTLE_JOHA_SWEATER is a variation of JOHANNE_LOOP-SWEATER, both inspired by ‘Alstrøje’, a sweater in nuanced knitting, designed in the 1960s or 1970s by Åse Lund Jensen. This interpretation is based on the original pattern, which is here integrated into a raglan construction, and the sweater is therefore worked in the round. The raglan cut is accentuated with stripes that continue decoratively down the body. It was a signature detail for Åse Lund Jensen to highlight seams on her knitwear with stripes or patterns.
The sweater is worked from top to bottom. First, the neck is worked in rib, and then the shoulder piece is knitted in the round in a two-colored pattern according to the chart, while raglan increases are made at the same time. To lengthen the back piece and ensure a good fit, short rows are worked into the pattern. The body and sleeves are worked in the round in stockinette and finished with ribbed hems. The vertical stripes are crocheted onto the body.
MATERIALS
Version 1:
Main colour: Isager Soft colour E6s
Effect colour: Isager Soft colour 28
Version 2:
Main colour: Isager Soft colour E4s
Effect colour: Isager Soft colour 10
LITTLE RITA JACKET / Design: Helga Jóna Thórunnardóttir
Helga Joná Thórunnardóttir says about the design:
“Little RITA Jacket” is my contribution to the Little Archives collection.
In the spring, when Helga Isager and I had a knitting workshop in Tversted, with techniques from the ISAGER Archives, a sweet participant suggested that the collection should be made for children as well. We immediately fell for the idea and I could easily imagine that the RITA Jacket would be cool for children.
Now the children’s version of my RITA Jacket is out, as “Little RITA Jacket”, where the smallest size is 1-2 years and the largest 10-12 years and has the same good details and finish as RITA herself.
I have reinterpreted the jacket in a lighter version of a bomber jacket, where the loops are knitted in ISAGER Bouclé, which in my opinion is made for the jacket. The nice little loops in the yarn give the knitted loops extra nice finishing touch, almost like fur.
The ribbing, edges and collar of the jacket are knitted in slip-stich pattern, with one strand of Isager Trio 2 and one strand Alpaca 1 are helt together, creating a beautiful contrast to the loops.
The inspiration is found in Åse Lund Jensen’s “PJUSK Battle Jacket”, which she made in 1974. It has been a pleasure to put my own fingerprint on one of Åse’s beautiful creations, and now also for children.
MATERIALS
Main colour: Isager Bouclé colour 37
Effect colour 1: Isager Trio 2 colour Bottle Green
Effect colour 2: Isager Alpaca 1 colour Forest
LITTLE TOVE SWEATER & LITTLE TOVE RIB SKIRT / Design: Odd Row (Lene Rix)
Lene Rix says about the design:
My contribution to the Isager Archives collection consisted of a thin shirt blouse with a mosaic
knitted yoke, along with a simple skirt in mosaic knitting. I have chosen to design a slightly warmer set for children. The set consists of a unisex sweater in mosaic knitting, with a voluminous shirt collar – and a short, wide skirt in rib.
The sweater collar tackles the issue of neck openings that are difficult to pull over the head.
Working from the top, the collar is knitted first and the work continues on the yoke. This means there is no cast-on edge restricting the neck opening. The collar warms the neck well like a turtleneck, but without bothering the front of the neck. At the same time, it is easy for the child to see if they have turned it the right way. The skirt is warm and soft with elastic at the waist.
Both are knitted in one strand of Isager Soft – or one of the many other yarn alternatives in the
pattern, which combine more strands and offer several colour options.
MATERIALS FOR THE SWEATER
Version 1:
Main colour: Isager Soft colour 10
Effect colour 1: Isager Soft colour 100
Effect colour 2: Isager Soft colour 28
Version 2:
Main colour: Isager Soft colour E4s
Effect colour: Isager Soft colour E6s
MATERIALS FOR THE RIB SKIRT
Isager Soft colour 100
YARN ALTERNATIVES FOR BOTH SWEATER AND RIB SKIRT
Alternative 1
Isager Soft Fine – two strands held together
Alternative 2
Isager Alpaca 2 + Isager Soft Fine – one strand of each
Alternative 3
Isager Highland + Isager Silk Mohair – two strands Highland and one strand Silk Mohair
Purchase pattern for Little Tove Sweater
Purchase yarn kit for Little Tove Sweater
LITTLE ESTHER JACKET / Design: PetiteKnit (Mette Okkels)
Mette says about the design:
Most things do well in miniature, and the simple yet recognizable pattern consisting of regular knit and purl stitches on the Little Esther Jacket is both timeless and ageless. The classic pattern is great for playing with colors since it will only be more noticeable the more bright and colorful you – or your child – dares to be. Little Esther Jacket is knitted from the top down in Jensen and Tvinni by Isager Yarn.
MATERIALS
Main colour 1: Isager Jensen Yarn colour 28
Main colour 2: Isager Tvinni colour 28
LITTLE AGNES SWEATER / Design: Knitthing (Tine Rousing)
Tine says about the design:
Little Agnes Sweater is the children’s edition of Agnes Sweater and my contribution to the collection Little Isager Archives.
The original Agnes Sweater has a hood, but in this children’s version of the sweater I have replaced it with a button closure to make it easier for the children to get it over their heads.
I wanted to make a unisex sweater, which can be reused by multiple generations regardless of gender. The Little Agnes Sweater is worked from the top down and in one piece, so no assembly is required.
The sweater is worked in Spinni and Isager Soft Fine, which makes it soft, light and airy. The pattern part on the body is worked with different colors of Spinni and makes it possible to play with colors. It is available in sizes 2 to 12 years.
MATERIALS
Main colour 1: Isager Spinni colour 2s
Main colour 2: Isager Soft Fine colour E2s
Effect colours: Isager Spinni (14 different colours)
AASE SWEATER JUNIOR / Design: Hanne Rimmen
Hanne says about the design:
Aase Sweater Junior is my contribution to the Little Isager Archives collection.
Aase Sweater Junior features a pattern with repetitions creating a stylish, modern Nordic look.
The pattern is inspired by Åse Lund Jensen’s beautiful pattern called “Skæl” which was originally used for a purse design.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Åse created an iconic style with pattern combinations and rhythmic decreases and increases in multi-color knitting. Details which are recreated today in this design with the utmost respect for the original.
Children often love playing with colors, and Aase Sweater Junior can be knit in many different color combinations. For instance, you can choose to switch the main color and the pattern color on the sleeves, or you can choose a completely different color for the sleeves. Give free rein to your imagination! You can even let your child play along and choose the colors for his/her sweater.
In the same series you also find Aase Sweater for adults from the Isager Archives collection.
MATERIALS
Main colour 1a: Isager Spinni colour 28s
Main colour 1b: Isager Tvinni colour 28
Pattern colour: Spinni colour 58
Pattern colour: Tvinni colour 6s or colour 58
LITTLE NORMA / Design: My Favorite Things Knitwear (Louise Rasmussen)
Louise says about the design:
Little Norma Sweater is my contribution to Little Isager Archives, and my very first pattern for children. The design is based on my Norma Sweater, which draws inspiration from Åse Lund Jensen’s timeless patterns from the 1960s.
In developing the fit and selecting materials, I focused on the idea that children should remain children. Therefore, Little Norma Sweater is both soft, light, and comfortable – a sweater that allows for play and physical activity.
The design draws strong references from classic Nordic knitting traditions and brings to mind childhood stories by Astrid Lindgren about Pippi Longstocking and The Children of Noisy Village.
Little Norma Sweater is a classic raglan model that can be worn by both girls and boys. There is plenty of opportunity to play with the expression and put a personal touch, thanks to the almost endless number of beautiful color combinations.
Classic, playful, vibrant, or more subdued—only the imagination sets the limit.
I have endeavored to create an accessible design, hopefully encouraging more people to take up the discipline of knitting with multiple colors. You work with a maximum of two colors at a time, which makes the knitting process both fun and manageable. The sweater is knitted top-down and uses very few techniques. It’s a great project for both beginners and more experienced knitters.
MATERIALS
Version 1:
Main colour: Isager Soft colour E6s
Effect colours 1: Isager Soft colour 10
Effect colours 2: Isager Soft colour 28
Version 2:
Main colour: Isager Soft Fine colour 7s
Effect colours 1: Isager Soft colour 10
Effect colours 2: Isager Soft colour E6s
LITTLE KARLA / Design: Anne Ventzel
Anne says about the design:
LITTLE KARLA is my contribution to the joint collection LITTLE ISAGER ARCHIVES. Inspiration is found in Åse Lund Jensen’s knitting patterns from the 50s and 60s. The specific knitting pattern I have taken as a starting point is Brikker, a cape with a matching hat. At first glance, I was attracted by the graphic pattern in a slipped stitch pattern, which I have chosen to reinterpret here. Initially, I developed the pattern KARLA CAPE for adults, which came out in March 2024 as part of the ISAGER ARCHIVES collection. Now, it is also available for children as a more classic cardigan.
The slipped stitch pattern is a simple technique that lets you knit a two-color pattern using only one color at a time. This means the knitting might appear as stranded colorwork but is worked with only one color at a time. As a result, this method is beginner-friendly and much easier to knit.
MATERIALS
Version 1:
Main colour 1: Isager Soft colour6
Main colour 2: Silk Mohair colour 0
Effect colours 1: Isager Soft colour 28
Effect colours 2: Isager Silk Mohair colour 65
Version 2:
Main colour 1: Isager Soft colour 7s
Main colour 2: Isager Silk Mohair colour 6
Effect colours 1: Isager Soft colour 37
Effect colours 2: Isager Silk Mohair colour 16